Today, influence decidedly rests in the hands of the mass population. The net result is a new phenomenon where the most influential segment of the population (or 85 percent of the population) is at the same time the least trusting. Read the full global results at www.edelman.com/trust2016

1. Inversion of Influence
2016 Edelman
Trust Barometer

2. Informed Public
‣ 8 years in 20+ markets
‣ Represents 15% of total global population
‣ 500 respondents in U.S. and China; 200 in all other countries
Must meet 4 criteria:
‣ Ages 25-64
‣ College educated
‣ In top 25% of household income per age group in each country
‣ Report significant media consumption and engagement in business news
General Online Population
‣ 5 years in 25+ markets
‣ Ages 18+
‣ 1,150 respondents per country
Methodology
28-country global data margin of error: General Population +/-0.6% (N=32,200), Informed Public +/- 1.2% (N=6,200), Mass Population +/- 0.6% (26,000). Country-
specific data margin of error: General Population +/- 2.9 ( N=1,150), Informed Public +/- 6.9% (N = min 200, varies by country), China and U.S. +/- 4.4% (N=500),
Mass Population +/- 3.0 to 3.6 (N =min 740, varies by country), half sample Global General Online Population +/- 0.8 (N=16,100).
‣ 16 years of data
‣ 33,000+ respondents total
‣ All fieldwork was conducted between
October 13th and November 16th, 2015
Online Survey in 28 Countries
Mass Population
‣ All population not including Informed Public
‣ Represents 85% of total global population

3. Inversion of
Influence

4. Mass
Population
The Inversion of Influence
Authority
& Influence
Influence
Authority
Source: 2016 Edelman Trust Barometer Q11-14. Below is a list of institutions. For each one, please indicate how much you trust that institution to do what is right
using a nine-point scale, where one means that you “do not trust them at all” and nine means that you “trust them a great deal.” (Top 4 Box, Trust) Informed Public
and Mass Population, 28-country global total.
85%
of
population
48 Trust Index
15%
of
population
60 Trust Index
Informed
Public

5. 71
69
67
45
32
28
Search
TV
Social
Newspapers
Magazines
Blogs
Influence of Peer-Driven Media
Source: 2016 Edelman Trust Barometer - How often do you read, view, click on or engage with the following types of content, media or information sources? Online
search engines, such as Google… (Q285), Television news and information (Q287), Social networking sites, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter,
etc.(Net of Q278 Social Networking, Q279 Blogs, Q289 Online message boards, forums or newsgroups), articles in printed newspapers (Q284), articles in printed
magazines(Q283), Blogs (Q279) (Several times a week+) General Population, 28-country global total, question asked of half the sample.
Percent who use each media source several times a week or more
2 of top 3 most-used
sources of news and
information are peer-
influenced media
General
Population

6. Peers Recommend Companies
and Influence Purchasing
Actions taken in the last 12 months
based on trust
recommended companies
to a friend/colleague
59%
Impact of conversations about
brands with peers
make decisions/overcome
concerns/warn me about risks75%
Source: 2015 Earned Brand Study of Global Consumers
Source: 2016 Edelman Trust Barometer Q371-589. Thinking back over the past 12 months, have you
taken any of the following actions in relation to companies that you trust? Please answer yes or no to
each action. General Population, 28-country global total, question asked of half the sample.
Source: 2015 Earned Brand. Q41: Thinking about the conversations you have online and offline with
friends and other people like you about brands, products and services you purchase, what impact do
they have on you? [Net of ‘They warn me about the risks,’ ‘They help me make decisions,’ ‘They help
me overcome my concerns about the product / service,’ and ‘They help me overcome my concerns
about my data being collected / my privacy being respected.’]
General
Population

7. 63 64
57
50
48
41
50
39
33
67
64 63
53 52
49 48
44
35
Peers, Employees More Credible than Leaders
Source: 2016 Edelman. Trust Barometer Q130-587. Below is a list of people. In general, when forming an opinion of a company, if you heard information about a
company from each person, how credible would the information be—extremely credible, very credible, somewhat credible, or not credible at all? (Top 2 Box,
Very/Extremely Credible) General Population, 27-country global total.
Percent who rate each spokesperson as extremely/very credible
2015 2016
+8
Technical
expert
Academic
expert
A person
like
yourself
Financial
industry
analyst
Employee CEO NGO
representative
Board of
Directors
Government
official/regulator
CEO credibility
increased the most
General
Population
+6

8. Thank You
View the full results at www.Edelman.com/trust2016